With the current COVID-19 situation many people are looking either at “Social distancing “ and more importantly “self-isolation”. As a result, our dog walks are going to become shorter and less frequent, and as a consequence, our dogs may well get bored and unhappy.
We have previously done an article on DIY Dog Toys and thought it was time to do a follow up so that dogs everywhere can be happy and get mental exercise
Unfortunately, a lot of dog owners often overlook Mental stimulation for the more traditional (and still very important) physical stimulation, such as walking the dog or playing fetch.
It has been proven that mental stimulation can easily burn the same amount of energy as physical – if not more – and most dogs, especially working dogs, will be happy, content and tired so they sleep well during the night. The bonus is that while they are engaging with the enrichment, you are tackling boredom and building a stronger bond between you and the dog
Think about what your particular dog enjoys doing – Sniffing? Searching? Licking? Tearing? This will often be influenced by your dog’s breed. For example, terriers often enjoy ripping things up, Beagles Spaniels and Labradors generally love to sniff.
Below is a list of effective dog toys and games you can make to help relieve the boredom whilst dog walks are limited.
Enrichment doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated, so keep it safe but let your imagination run wild. Enjoy!
- Do you have a bored dog?
Is your dog mentally as well as physically activated - How to Entertain our dog whilst in self-isolation
- The Muffin Tin Game
This is a great game of hiding and seeks and ideal for scent hounds that like to sniff. Easy to set up with some basic equipment. No Special Skills required - Dog Toys from Socks
Some fun and challenging games that are easy to make out of old socks - Rotating Bottles
This game is based on 3 bottles with dog treats in them and the dog has to work out how to spin the bottle at the right speed - Quick and Easy Games
A collection of some quick and easy games using everyday articles
Disclaimer: Always supervise your pet when letting dogs play with homemade or even commercial toys. Immediately take the toy away if they start to chew/swallow any pieces or break the toy apart. Blue Ocean is not responsible for any injuries caused by following our dog toy tutorial.